The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1887-06-23
THE REBEL FLAGS.
The President Withdraws His Instructions as to
the Return Of the Confederate Banners-H0N
the MatterOriginated, etc. .

The President Withdraws His Instructions as to
the Return Of the Confederate Banners-How
the MatterOriginated, etc. .
The following is the text of O letter from
the President, received by the secretary of
war late respecting the return to various
states Ct flags captured during the late
war:
Executive Mansion, Washington, D. c.,
June l6.-To the Secretary OF War: /
have to day considered with more care
than when the subject was orally presented
to me, the action OF your depart
ment directing letters to be addressed to
the governors Of all the states offering to
return, if desired, to the loyal states, the
Union flags captured in the val of the re-
bellion by the confederate forces. and aft
erwards recovered by the government
troops, and to the confederate states the
flags captured by the union forces, all OF
which for many years have been packed, in
boxes and slowed in the cellar and attic Of
the war department. I am OF the opinion
that, the return Of these flags in the man:
ner thus contemplated is not authorized
by existing law nor justified as an execu-
tive act. .. ,.
I request, therefore, that no further steps
and inventory of these flags and adopt
proper measures for their preservation.
Any direction for the final disposition
OF them should originate with congress: .
Yours truly. :
GROVER CLEVELAND.
An intimate friend of'the executive this
evening, said hat the observation-disclosures
the return OF flags without giving the
subject serious consideration snd
upon representations that the matter
not in any way was governed by law.
TLn ~-~osl~~A ~lnnckAr ls~~. S~nr II Aim &
flags had been, from time to time, return.
ed when applied for and that no new i'm.
portant question vas involved immediate
ly upon examination OF the. law, however,
and learning that there q 9 large mum.
Der OF confederate flags involved and that
none OF them had ever been returned, the
preaident Immediately decided his approx
al. oNEhe plan and had been in~consideratt
and mistaken. '&
- T. IT, BEFORE THE LETTER
+ Washington Dispatch Proceedings were
instituted in the district supreme court or
the 10th, against the secretary OF war, al
the representative OF the president, to pre-
vent the return OF the confederate battle
flags captured by the troops OF the state
OF Ohio. Gen. H. v. Boynton, correspond
emit of the Cincinnati GommercialGasette
made the necessary aftidayits, and Gov
Foraker ID IN telegraphic communities
tion with the attorneys, who arr
Messrs. Shellabarger, OF. Shellabarger 4
Wilson, and ex-Gov. Boutwell,. Early
action will be taken by the court. The
affair has set the ex.soldief element on fire
and violent language is being used against
the administration.
"A special to the Evening Wisconsin from
Madison, Wis, says: Gov. Rusk ID great
" aroused by the determination Of the
administration to return all flags now il
the possession Of the federal government to
be sent the following letter To- Adjt-Gen.
R.s Gs Drum at Washington:
SfsSirI have thu honor to AcknoFledce